Seeing things,
imagining, delusions after being clean from meth

I received some very wonderful encouragement, but
haven't received any answers to one specific question. If someone has
been clean from meth about 2 weeks (forced into being clean after being
readmitted into the state hospital for drug induced psychosis) and is
still seeing things, imagining people running around under the deck,
reporters taking pictures of her and writing things about her, and
seeing "corpse" on the shampoo bottle, and on and on and on, will she
ever get out of this? Sometimes she knows she is "crazy." She has even
admitted that she doesn't know what is reality and what isn't, but
sometimes doesn't know when she is being crazy at all. Does this make
any sense? I know I have rambled a bit. Basically, I have read that
these episodes can last up to a year. However, being clean, being okay
for two days, being readmitted, doubling her dose of
anti-psychotics....well, none of this has helped. Will she get better
if she stays clean? Or, have we lost her for good? Oh...and she has
recently been diagnosed as being bi-polar, which sucks in itself. But,
as far as the delusional thinking, is this going to go away? Also, she
was an IV meth user, does this make (and I am pretty sure I know the
answer) recovery harder, and delusions worse?
- ANR79

Replies

bugs -
ANR79~~First of all...I'm no expert...having said that...I'll tell
you what I've heard here and there. My daughter was in rehab in 1/04
for 28 days and they would NOT address any mental health issues until
the patient was completely detoxed and had completed treatment,
because many times the symptoms of drug addiction are the same as
certain mental illnesses. From personal experience...I have bi-polar
disorder and what I have read on this site, heard in the chat room and
studied on many various web sites, the highs and lows experienced by a
person using meth are exactly the same as what I have experienced with
the mood swings I have with bi-polar. And I've never done drugs and I
don't drink alcohol. So, off the top of my head, I would say that (is
it your friend?) should be in an INPATIENT rehab/treatment center
equal to the time spent using, i.e.: if using 1yr. = 1yr. treatment.
What I'm saying is, the bi-polar may be a misdiagnosis and the
psychosis is merely a side effect from the meth. This is strictly only
an opinion, but I would address the meth issue first before I address
the mental health issue, and I would definitely go to a rehab place
that specialized in meth, not one that was primarily alcohol and meth
secondarily...there is a BIG difference. Best wishes

joshua -
I do not have all the answers, I will start by that. But I have
been an addict for over two years now, and been clean now for two
months or so. And this very site helped me do it. And the major fact
that I have given my life to Christ. I have a friend that is
psychosis. And he has been that way for 3 years now and he has been
clean for 2 years. And like you stated they do have their good days
but they had their bad ones too! There are a lot people right now
hurting because of this and I know that I can help. I am here to
answer?' s. cause I have been there and I fight this everyday battle.
I am 28 and been married for 8 of those and I have two kids. One being
8 and the other 3. And I about cashed it all in for it. Keep their
spirits up and do not ever call them out on the shit they see. Let
them come to you. cause Joe thought that he was Jesus Christ too until
he was arrested in the middle of the freeway.... But if you want to
hear a story about a family that almost went up in flames. and a man
that about blew is brains out and to see where I am at now with out
it. I call it "to meth and death & back". ask her does she want to
talk to me, I would be more than welcomed..................

Diana AKA Beckysmom -
I don't have all the answers and had I had known about this site
before 8 months ago, I would probably have picked a different screen
name, as 3 of my children have or are using meth. My 3rd son has
drug-induced schizophrenia (sp) and after more than 2 years he still
has his episodes. He called me several months ago to tell me he was
Jesus... He confines himself, sees things and hears voices, shuffles
when he walks, rarely looks anyone in the eye. He has good days, and
on those good days he tells me he believes meth (which he chose to
shoot in any place in his body he could find) really messed him up
terribly. That he wishes he had never touched it. But, those times
aren't often anymore. He moved to another town about 4 hours away, and
didn't even tell me where he went or how to get a hold of him. This
drug needs to be brought down!!! Each case is different they say.

Annette -
I know this has got to be very difficult for you…I'm not real sure,
and I wish I had some answers for you... I do know that several years
ago, when I was with my ex husband, I worked at a children's shelter,
we would take in children that had been abused, or were taken away
from there parents by the courts…and usually they were waiting for
foster homes. I remember one little girl, who was waiting to be
adopted out, because her mom, had, the meth induced psychosis, she had
done meth mixed with acid. It was such a very sad situation, I
remember reading the girls chart, and her mom was in a mental
hospital, and she did not even know her name, her A, B, C's. I worked
there for 2 years, and when I left she was still there. They did tell
the girl, that if her mom got better she could go back to her, or go
to foster home, whichever came first. I hope your friend gets
better..Just keep the faith.

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